


Tell Us How You Really Feel

by brisingrdraumar



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Feelings, Fluff, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pack Dynamics, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-14
Updated: 2012-08-14
Packaged: 2017-11-12 03:08:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/485996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brisingrdraumar/pseuds/brisingrdraumar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some of the packmates are confused about a human's place with them...i.e. that one time when Erica, Jackson, and Boyd are severely mistaken, Isaac's a BAMF (and also a comedian), Scott keeps the Bro Code, and big daddy Derek teaches a lesson.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tell Us How You Really Feel

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to my beta from Awesomeville, [Jadecorpsebride](http://archiveofourown.org/users/jadecorpsebride/pseuds/jadecorpsebride). Any mistakes you see are totally my bad (and if you DO find some, please don't hesitate to let me know!).

“Uh…what’s going on?” Erica’s sarcastic voice echoed through the station, the loud _thwump_ of her bag dropping to the floor a perfect accompaniment to the attitude in her voice.

“I thought we broke you of asking stupid questions, Erica. Pack meeting, you know this,” Derek didn’t even have to try to sound drier than she did.

“No, what I _know_ is that ‘pack meeting’ means pack. And we _seem_ to have an interloper,” she smirked at Stiles, “Why doesn’t the little baby human run along home, hmm? The big dogs have work to do,” she made shooing motions with her hands, laughing at the incredulous look on Stiles’ face.

Derek straightened from where he was bending down, picking up and moving boxes and debris around to make room for the pack and stared at her with upraised eyebrows, “Excuse me?”

“This is another one of those tests isn’t it?” Jackson came up behind Erica, “If you want us to be able to actually learn the difference between pack and _non_ -pack you shouldn’t have started with a human.”

Derek’s eyes narrowed, “Really,” It was impossible to read the tone of his voice.

Jackson’s obvious, “Well, yeah” was drowned out by Erica.

 “Oh, wait! This where we protect the pack by running off the intruder, right?” Erica flicked her fingers, extending her claws, “Sounds like _fun_ ,” she grinned, eyebrows in a teasing slant, and took a small step toward Stiles, “Though I’m not sure why we’re using _Stiles_ of all people.”

Jackson laughed, “Doesn’t matter, I’m in!” and he put his hands out, nails lengthening to match Erica’s.

“I’m sure you are. Put those away, you idiots,” Derek paused to set up a fold up chair one of them had found, and was interrupted by Isaac.

“Yeah guys. Plus, Stiles is pack, so obviously he’s allowed anyway,” Isaac was looking at Jackson and Erica as if they were crazy, head cocked and eyes squinted.

There was a beat of silence before the two wolves burst into laughter, “Yeah, _OH-kay_ , Isaac.  A human in a werewolf pack? That makes _all_ the sense in the world!” Erica’s high-pitched laughter had stopped just long enough to get her words out.

“Good one, Lahey. I didn’t think you had it in you to make any decent jokes. They usually suck SO hard. That was good though! Stilinski in the pack?” he let out a few more guffaws, “What—what would he do? _Talk_ hunters to death?!” He snorted, and wiped his eyes, laughing all the harder.

Derek glanced to where Stiles was edging toward the door, and heard him quickly say, “No, no. I was just here for—well not _here-_ here, as in ‘for the pack meeting’ _here_ ,” his heart skipped a beat, “but uh—I was just talking to Derek…aaa-bout, ahem, the—the _bestiary_. The bestiary, of course, because—,”

“Shut up, Stiles. It’s painful watching you try to lie to a bunch of wolves who can smell it on you,” Derek frowned at him, opening his mouth to continue, but Stiles beat him to it.

“Well, it doesn’t matter really. They caught me on my way out, I was just leaving now, so bye!” He tried to beat a hasty retreat when Derek caught him by the elbow, dragging him over to one of the chairs set haphazardly across the floor.

“Sit,”

“You can’t just tell me to sit! I’m not a dog…or, you know…one of your puppies over there, which—as they have so thoroughly pointed out—means this human should skedaddle and let you get down to pack business, so if you would just—,” he tried to stand and was pushed back down by one large hand on his shoulder, “You’re not _actually_ going to make them hunt me—,” he was silenced by Derek’s glare.

“Of course he isn’t! You’re pack! _I_ know you’re pack,” Scott looked at Stiles, “I don’t get why these guys,” he jerked a thumb in the direction of the laughing teenagers, “are being such dicks right now.”

Jackson scoffed, “Of course _you_ think he’s pack. He’s your girlfriend, or butt-buddy, or whatever,” (“I resent that. I’m _way_ too pretty for Scott.” “Gee, thanks bro…”) “That doesn’t mean he’s _our_ pack, though. Lahey knows, he made his one good joke for this lifetime,” he smirked, puffing out his chest. Jackson wore arrogance like a goddamn coat.

Isaac turns to Jackson and Erica. “I wasn’t joking, you guys are dumb. And Jackson’s one to talk about jokes that suck, you wouldn’t know funny if it bit you on the ass. Hell, you didn’t even know you were a wolf for _so_ long, and Derek actually DID bite you on the ass.”

Stiles let loose a full-bodied laughter, and Jackson ignored Derek’s muttered “It was on his _tail_...” and Stiles’ “Totally counts as ass!”

“Shut up, Stilinski. That wasn’t even funny,” Jackson scowled; two spots of pink appearing high on his cheekbones.

“Oh no. You’re right, that _wasn’t_ funny. That was somewhere between the realms of Hilarious and Please Dear God Sew All Of These Guts That I Busted Back Up. Ooohh, Isaac. Man. That was… _awesome_. I can’t believe no one’s capitalized on that yet, good for you!” Stiles dragged his hands down his face, chuckling still, while Isaac smiled.

“Well, no one even _told_ me that I wasn’t a kanima anymore! That’s not my fault!” Jackson tried to defend himself, not liking that they were laughing at him now instead of at Stiles.

“We didn’t know if another bite would work. We weren’t sure if it would turn you into a wolf, back into a human, or if it would even do anything at all,” Derek voice was calm, but his eyed danced, “Plus, from what I’ve heard, Stiles knew the next _day_ after Scott was bitten,” he didn’t tell them that it was a joke that he had overheard when Stiles and Scott were searching for Scott’s missing inhaler, the teenager’s facts were still right. “He even knew it was called Lycanthropy. What was it you thought I gave Scott, Jackson? Steroids?” He raised an eyebrow at the arrogant boy, tossing a subtle look over to Isaac, and while Jackson sputtered and Erica and Scott laughed, Isaac walked over to where Stiles sat, dragging a chair to plop down next to him.

He settled into his chair, “Hey.”

Stiles looked at him and smiled, “Hey.”

“I think you’re pack.”

“Thanks, dude.”

“Why?” The boys were startled by Derek’s question.

“Huh?” Stiles looked up at him.

“Why does Isaac think you’re pack? Isaac?” Derek turned expectant eyes on the quiet wolf.

“Because! Because he helps out more than most people here! Pack is about taking care of each other right? Not just blood or being a wolf, or whatever. It’s like family. But more. Better. And we’re stronger together. That’s what you said. But there would _be_ no _together_ if it wasn’t for Stiles. I mean, most of us would be dead. _Scott_ would be dead and _rotting_ …” (“Hey!...I wouldn’t be _rotting_. Ok, honestly, I’d probably be way past that,”) “I mean, why keep Jackson who—let’s be honest here—was more trouble than he was worth at first, but not Stiles? I _like_ Stiles. He knows stuff. Important stuff, that keeps us alive. I don’t know…I guess I just feel safer when he’s around. I mean, he can’t really fight, and he’s kind of scrawny, and sometimes he talks a lot, like _way_ too much—,” (“I liked it better when you were complimenting me…” Stiles grumble went ignored) “but he takes care of us. How can you even say he’s not pack when he helps you with Chemistry _every single week_ , Erica? Or, you Jackson, when your fat ass eats _way_ more than your share when he brings over food that he’s cooked?” (“I am _not_ fat!”) “I’m just saying. You eat a lot, dude.”

Isaac was looking a little winded, but Stiles was watching at Isaac like he had never met him before, breaking out into a grin when Isaac turned to look at him, “You really think that? I mean, I didn’t think anyone—well, I can’t exactly go out with you guys on the full moon, or really help if you get in a fight with whoever or _what_ ever—,” he paused, looking away and gathering his thoughts, and was startled when he felt something soft, warm, and wet trace over his eyebrow.

Isaac’s soft breaths puffed against his cheekbone, and Stiles’ eyes were wide when the other boy pulled away, “You’re kind of like a stay-at-home mom, that way, I guess,” Isaac was chuckling and speaking normally like he didn’t _totally just lick Stiles’ **face**_.

“Ahem…well. Isaac. It’s been a long while since I’ve had one of those. Is, oh I don’t know, _licking their_ _faces_ a common practice nowadays?!” Stiles’ face was a comical mix of incredulity and honest confusion.

Isaac was once again paying attention to the conversation between Jackson, Erica, Scott, and Derek and missed Stiles’ reaction, “Hmm? Oh, well, I’m not sure. I’ve never had a stay-at-home mom.  Maybe?” He turns back to the human at his side, “Why?”

“Dude. You just licked my face. Right here,” He points to his eyebrow with a flourish, “See the wet? That’s your spit, man.”

“Oh. You want the other one too?” Isaac asked as he leaned in, aiming for Stiles’ dry eyebrow.

Stiles catches him by the shoulders, “Err…no I’m good for now, thanks. What _is_ that all about, though? The eyebrow licking…” Stiles was sort of beyond being surprised by odd werewolf habits ever since Scott tackled and sniffed the hell out of the whole team looking for Isaac at practice that one time.

“Huh. Well. I don’t really know, I never really thought about it. It’s sort of something you just do, you know? To show that you like someone,” both of Stiles’ eyebrows rose at that, “No! Not _like_ -like someone! Just, you know! _Like_. As in a friend, or…brother—,”

“As in _pack_ ,” Derek had been listening to their conversation and decided to save Isaac an awkward explanation. He walked over to the two boys and lightly raked his nails across Isaac’s scalp, pulling his head back and licking a quick stripe from the boy’s temple and across the outer end of his eyebrow, going against the hairs there. “It means you’re pleased with them,” He looked at the boy, Isaac’s whole face lit up at Derek, and the older man tugged on his ear, letting go of him altogether and turns to lock eyes with Stiles, “It’s a sign of affection. Have you ever seen dogs together, not ones that are fighting or fucking, just being together, or playing together? Sometime they will wash each other’s faces to show affection. That’s what this is.”

“Yeah!  And it’s for _pack_! Isaac, you don’t just go around licking humans like that!” Erica was still adamant that humans have no place in a wolf pack. “I mean, I appreciate your help in Chem and all the other stuff, Stiles. But let’s be real here. You _aren’t a werewolf_ ,” Isaac and Scott huffed while Derek growled, “Well, he isn’t! He—he doesn’t _feel_ the pack the way we do. I can feel it. I can _feel_ each one of you. He can’t feel us! How are we supposed to expect him to put the pack first, like we all do, when he can’t even fucking **_feel it_**?!” Her playful attitude from earlier was completely gone now as she stamped her foot to drive her opinion home, voice warbling a bit, showing how upset she had become.

“She has a point,” Boyd had been quiet until now, his voice echoed in the brief silence after Erica stopped talking, “I like Stiles, too. Don’t get me wrong. But being a part of a pack didn’t mean nearly as much to me until I was bitten and I felt it. I don’t know…it’s like a cord that connects me—not my body or anything, but me inside—to you guys. It makes just looking out for number one not even an option. What if he has to make a choice between us and someone else, or himself?” He looked at Stiles and shrugged apologetically, “I’m sorry man, but what’s to say you won’t bail on us when this connection thing doesn’t affect you the same way?”

No one said anything for a beat or two, the wolves in the room could smell the anger radiating from Scott, so thick it was palpable. The beta opened his mouth, gearing up to defend his best friend when Jackson let out a disgusted groan, “Shut _up_ , Stiles!”

Everyone looked at Jackson, no one moving a muscle as they looked from Jackson to Stiles to Derek, eyes moving almost in tandem, tracing the most awkward triangle of confusion ever.

Derek’s voice was clear, steady, and quiet, void of all inflection, when he broke the silence, “He didn’t say anything, Jackson.”

“Yeah, but he’s over there just _stewing_ in this ridiculous misery and—and _hurt_. Man the fuck up! It’s your own fault you’re not pack! You _could_ have been. You chose wrong. Deal with it!”

Erica and Boyd stood as if frozen, eyes wide and affixed on Jackson, both of them looking like a light bulb just went off above their heads. Scott leaned against a train car, arms crossed and face expectant, still glaring at the three dissenters. Isaac just sat in his chair next to Stiles, elbows on his knees and a smirk across his lips, Stiles turned to him and asked in a hushed tone, “What the heck is going on?”

Isaac grinned at him and whispered back, “Shhh, watch.”

Derek ignored everything around him save for Jackson, stalking up to the boy with his eyebrows furrowed, “Look at him.”

“Okaay…” Jackson turned his gaze toward where Stiles and Isaac sat, and Stiles just lounged there. His face was set, looking open and expectant.

“Does he look miserable or hurt?”

Jackson scowled at the alpha, not appreciating being talked to like a five year old, “No, but he’s different, obviously.”

“Explain,” Derek folded his arms, tilting his head downward, looking at the other boy through narrowed eyes.

“Well, look at him! He’s usually fidgeting and stuff. His face changes like every second—,”

“One of the many things I have in common with Deadpool, along with witty repartee and general badassery,” Stiles nodded sagely, as solemn as if he was imparting the sacred wisdom of the Dalai Lama.  Isaac and Scott snorted a laugh…even Derek and Erica cracked a smile, the reference going completely over Boyd’s head as he stood there looking at the others.

Jackson was starting to look mutinous, “Shut up, Stilinski. Doesn’t matter, your face moves a lot, probably just trying to keep up with your ADD brain,” (“It’s ADHD, actually,”) “What _ever_ , thank you _Scott_ for your long-awaited, much needed, highly anticipated fucking _input_.”

“Hey, no problem buddy. I’m here for you. Even when you’re being a total douchecake apparently.”

Derek was like a study in exasperation, “Trying to have a conversation with you people is like trying to herd cats… _Jackson_!”

Derek’s yell startled Jackson out of his angry muttering to Scott, “What?”

“Smell Stiles.”

“Dude, what is this all about? Smelling him isn’t going to make him less human,” he looked at the older man with his brows furrowed in confusion.

“It wasn’t a request.”

Jackson grumbled, but averted his eyes in submission, taking a few snuffling breaths in Stiles’ direction. Derek watched him, “What do you smell?”

“Stiles…?”

“No _shit_. Does he smell like salt? Like tears? What about the acrid smell of embarrassment sweat?”

“Err, no. He smells like laundry soap, nachos, and…is that gummy worms? Dude, are you holding out?” Jackson’s face was incredulous with indignation.

“Shut up, Jackson. If you were trying to kick me out of the pack I would hold out on you too.”

“Whatever, Lahey. Can’t be kicked out of what you aren’t in. Why don’t you go back to licking Stilinski’s face, hmm?”

Isaac just grinned at Jackson, popping a sour worm between his lips and chewed wide and open, showing the other boy the gummy slaughter going on inside his mouth, “Good idea!” and he wrestled Stiles closer with a gentle arm around his head, once again dragging his tongue across the other boy’s eyebrow, this time on the other side.

“Eugh, it’s _sticky_!” Stiles wiped at his face, and offered the bag to Isaac again, “You want another one?”

“Thanks, mom,” Isaac grinned and laughed at the scrunched up look on Stiles’ face.

“Again!” Derek looked ready to tear out his hair, “Like herding _cats_! The point is, _Jackson_ , does he smell like sadness? Misery?”

“…No?” By this time, Erica and Boyd had both caught on, and Erica smacked her palm to hear forehead at Jackson’s answer.

“Then how did you know? How did you know that he is unhappy? How do you know what he is feeling when you can’t see it or smell it for yourself? How many humans can you do that with?”

Erica dragged her hand down her face and beat Jackson to the punch, “I’m an idiot.”

“Yes, you are,” Derek pursed his lips, gesturing for her to go on when she didn’t continue, “Share with the class.”

“That’s why I got so upset earlier, huh? Why Boyd jumped in, he thought that—feeling was from me. He felt how upset Stiles was and thought it was me. **_I_** thought it was me. I can feel him. Jackson can feel him. We can all feel him like we feel the rest of the pack. I—I’m really sorry, Stiles. I didn’t even think. I’m just…I’m really sorry,” She walked across the room, plopping herself in Stiles’ lap to hug him around the neck and turning her head to give him an affectionate lick across his temple and eyebrow. She pulled back, narrowing her eyes a bit, “That’s…delicious. Can I have one?”

“What?! One of my… _face_?!” Stiles’ was aghast and he shrunk back a bit.

“What? NO. A piece of candy! I can taste it from where Isaac licked you.”

Stiles pressed a hand to his chest, “Oh, thank god, you had me scared for a second. Yeah, here,” he handed the bag to her and she hopped off his lap and settled into a chair of her own.

“Yeah, me too, Stiles,” Boyd came walking over, hands in his pockets.

“You’re gonna have to fight Erica for them, she took the whole bag,” he turned his face slowly to Erica as he said this, squinting one eye and tilting his head at her.

Boyd huffed a long-suffering sigh and rolled his eyes skyward, “I _meant_ that I am sorry too. I mean—I’m not going to lick you, or anything. But I know you’re pack.”

“Hey, thanks man. I believe you, no saliva needed,” Stiles smiled up at him.

“It’s cool, Boyd. I’ll do it for you!” Scott had come up behind Boyd and darted forward quickly and licked a stripe up the center of Stiles’ forehead.

“Oh, my god, guys! I’m gonna need another shower today if this keeps up!” Stiles rubbed at his face and startled a bit when he heard Derek snort.

Boyd laughed, “Well now I _have_ to,” and he leaned in, dodging Stiles’ flailing hands to delicately place a tiny lick to the inner corner of one of his eyebrows.

“Looks like you just _had_ a shower,” Derek said drily as Stiles wiped at his face.

“Eugh…one with _water_ ,” he finished rubbing at his face and locked eyes with Jackson, “You gonna apologize and lick me too?”

“Can _you_ feel it? The pack?” Jackson stared at him, face completely serious.

Stiles fidgeted, “Yeah. Sometimes. It’s different for me, I think. At least it’s different from how Derek says it feels,” he looks at the older man who nods to him, “It’s nothing so specific as knowing that someone is—how did you say it? _Stewing in misery_?” Jackson had actually had the grace to blush and look away at that, “But I know generally when something is wrong.”

Jackson bit his lip for a moment, letting it go with a sigh, “Is that why you bring those cranberry orange scones sometimes?”

He rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged, “Yeah, man. They’re your favorite, right? I bring them when you have a particularly shitty day. I mean, you really _do_ act like a douchecake sometimes—that’s nice, Scott, I like that… _douchecake_ ,” (“I saw it in a movie once.”) “But when you have a shitty day, dude, you don’t mess around. You are like the king of shitty days. If there was a BHHS Shitty Day Havers team, you would be captain, co-captain, and coach. I don’t know what goes on in your head, man, but whatever it is, it fucking _sucks_ sometimes. You said it before, I can’t do much. I can’t fight people, and if I had to face off with a hunter, talking them to death would be my option numero uno, capisce?” (“That’s two different languages, Stiles.”) Stiles glances at Derek with a grin, “I know, man! I’m super smart, right?” He turns back to Jackson, “Anyway, I can’t fight, but I can help out in small ways. Like bringing scones when Captain Jackson Tiberius Whittemore of the U.S.S. Problem Child has a shitty day. You know?”

“…My middle name is Blake,” (“It _would_ be…”) “But…yeah, I—I know. “

Jackson stood there for a moment or two, just looking at Stiles, seemingly warring with his own emotions. He finally gave in and stalked toward the other boy and bent down, tracing his tongue in the briefest of lines across his cheekbone, “I’m not about to second-hand make out with this bunch of weirdoes, so you’re gonna have to make do with that.”

Stiles looked at him, stunned, “Uh, yeah understandable. Thanks, man.”

“Um, yeah. You too.  Uh…sorry,” he rubbed at the back of his neck then scowled, “don’t get used to it!” And he turned around to slouch into one of the vacant chairs, “Can we get this pack meeting in gear, please? Some of us have shit to do.”

Derek was unimpressed with Jackson’s renewed bravado, “It’s over. You can go do whatever _shit_ you have to do.”

“Wait…what?” Jackson sat up and looked at the alpha, “All we did was talk about Stiles the whole time.”

“That’s right. You think I didn’t notice how some of you treated him? Humans are special in a pack, and only two of you realized this. Of the 11 people who a part of the Hale Pack, 3 were human. Humans can do things we can’t, go places we aren’t allowed. Stiles could walk right into Dr. Deaton’s veterinary, or anywhere else fortified against us, with no problems. He can walk outside _every day and night of the month_ and never have to hide. Plus that’s not even counting all of the individual help, the research he does for us, and even the physical work—as much as all of you, him in included, protest to that. And that’s just a few of the things he does. You three have been taking him for granted, and I won’t have that sort of attitude in my pack,” he looked at the wolves in question, “Lucky for me, Erica started the discussion for us when she walked in.”

“You couldn’t have just _said_ something?!” Jackson’s voice was high pitched with incredulity.

Isaac leaned in and stage-whispered to Stiles, “Jackie’s just mad because Daddy tricked him into learning.”

“ _Again_ with the attempt at humor, Lahey!”

“ _Again_ with the _success_ at humor, Lahey!” Stiles mocked Jackson, laughing with his head thrown back, and Isaac just smiled, happy that their little family was finally shaping up.

Jackson glared at them, “What is it with you two fucking up my name? Jackie? And what the _hell_ is with _Tiberius_? Where did you even pull that from?”

Stiles gaped at him, “You aren’t serious!” Jackson just stares back at him, facial expression not moving from his irritated glower, “You are! You’re totally serious right now! Oh, my god! PACK STAR TREK MARATHON!” Isaac and Scott groaned while Erica and Boyd whooped, “Jackson, Jackie, _Jack_. Buddy ol’ pal, _you_? Are gonna go where—well, most everyone ever—has gone before!”

“He’s already done that. He dated Tara-Lynn Fremont in 8th grade, remember?”

“ _STOP TRYING TO BE FUNNY, LAHEY!_ ” Jackson jumped up and tackled a laughing Isaac to the floor and the boys play wrestled while Stiles wiped tears from his eyes.

“He’s not trying, Jackson! He’s _doing_!” Stiles cackled and tried to bring his knees up to his chest, making his body teeter precariously on the chair he was sitting in, “Oh, god! I have to stop laughing! I’m gonna _peeee-ehehehehehehe_!”

He started to fall over, headed for a speedy and painful rendezvous with the concrete floor when he was caught by a large hand and resettled on the chair. He looked up at Derek and grinned, whispering a quiet, “Thanks,” and squeezed the alpha’s wrist.

Scott stretched, yawning, “I since we don’t have anything else to do, I’m gonna head out. I’ve got a paper due in English tomorrow.”

“How far along are you?” Erica asked, picking up her bag from the floor.

Scott ran a hand through his hair, “I’ll let you know when I start it,” he grinned sheepishly.

Erica sighed, “Okay, tiger. Let’s go. I’ll help you. I finished mine two days ago.”

Scott grinned, “Thanks! I just don’t know what to do it on, you know?”

Erica just looked at him, “We have a _lot_ of work to do… We’ll see you later guys!” She gave each boy a hug on her way out, throwing in a slap to Jackson’s ass with his, making him laugh.

“Hey! How come only Jackson gets his butt fondled?!”

Erica threw a saucy grin over her shoulder to Stiles as she and Scott walked out, “Because he’s got a bubble butt that _demands_ it!”

“I have a nice butt!” Stiles twisted and turned, trying to get a good look at how his ass filled out the seat of his pants.

“Aaaaand on that note, I’m out,” Jackson threw a lazy wave and followed Erica and Scott.

Isaac and Boyd were talking quietly as he left, and Isaac glanced up, “Boyd and I are gonna go get some Chinese. You guys want anything?”

Stiles was startled out of his attempts to check himself out with the offer of food, “Oh, man! If you bring back and order of chicken lo mein and some dumplings I’ll lick your faces!”

Derek gave a short bark of laughter, “Whatever is fine, guys. Thanks”

“It’s no problem. We’ll be back later,” Boyd pulled on his jacket and snagged his keys then looked where Isaac had disappeared to, calling out, “Let’s go, Isaac!”

“Coming!” He came out of one of the train cars, zipping up his hoodie and walked out with Boyd, “Bye mom and dad!”

“Bye!” When he heard Isaac’s laughter Stiles looked horrified at himself and turned to Derek, “Uhm…would you believe me if I said that I was answering to ‘dad’ and totally not ‘mom’. Because dude, if anyone is the mom it’s definitely you.”

“Not a chance,” Derek smirked at him, raising one eyebrow.

“I could totally be dad!”

“Considering I am the strong disciplinarian and you bake them _scones_ when they have bad days…I think not. I don’t generally buy into to gender roles, but this one fits pretty well, don’t you think?” Derek was full out grinning now, and not an “I’m happy to be alive because life just rocks” grin…more like a “My name is Derek Hale, and I enjoy black leather and embarrassing Stiles until his face resembles a sweaty tomato because long walks on the beach are for pussies” grin.

 “I don’t have to take this nonsense! I could just leave!” He sputtered, red-faced and obviously not serious, and Derek just grinned wider.

“They’re bringing you back lo mein and dumplings remember?”

“Oh, that’s right… I better settle in for the long haul then. I bet they’re going to the buffet, and those two can pack it away. They’ll be there forever,” he stood against the closest wall and slid down it, sitting on one of the cushions that the boys had stolen off a couch Stiles’ neighbor had put in their driveway to be thrown in with the garbage. It’s a shame they couldn’t fit the whole thing in Scott’s mom’s car…

He looked up when Derek settled next to him, “Yeah, I guess you’d better then.”

Stiles just chuckled, looking down at his hands, and Derek peered at him, “You ok?”

His head shot back up, “Huh?”

“Earlier. When the pack was arguing. When those three were talking about you, saying that you weren’t pack. Your emotions confused them a bit because they’re betas…their strongest ties are to me instead of to each other, whereas mine are sensitive with all of you. You were joking and laughing with Isaac, but I could tell how upset you were.”

Stiles looked back down at his hands, “Can’t you just tell me how I feel then?”

“I could,” Derek hasn’t moved, still staring at Stiles, waiting to catch any reaction, “but I’d rather hear you say it.”

Stiles sighed, bringing his hands up to rub at his face, “It hurt. I didn’t think they could say anything to make it hurt that bad. I guess I never thought they would…so the surprise made it worse, I think.”

“They’re pack. Anything they do or say takes on a new meaning because they’re so close to you. Whatever their actions or words are gets intensified. It hits you where you live. Especially when they say something so serious. You may be human, but you feel the bond like the rest of us. Excommunicating someone from the pack is never to be taken lightly. It’s life and death; omegas don’t make it very long. For all that you wouldn’t actually become an omega, you could still feel it. That’s why I’m asking if you’re alright.”

Stiles looked at him, silent for a moment. He chewed on his lip and huffed through his nose, “Well, it sucked.  Really bad, actually. But…having Isaac and Scott…and you. That helped a lot. Isaac really came out of left field too, I didn’t expect him to be so vociferous in my defense, it was pretty sweet, to be honest. Scott was expected, Scott’s morally bound to have my back,” he smiled at Derek, “I could tell you were angry, but it was pretty clear it was with them so I figured I was safe with my spot as the Pack Human.”

Derek snorted, “You should have a t-shirt made.”

 “It would look tacky with the giant belt buckle I ordered online,” they laughed, “but, yeah. I’m good now. Pretty great actually, I think they licking thing helped…which is not something I ever thought I would say about _any_ of them…” they share another chuckle and turned, both staring ahead in a companionable silence.

They sat there quietly for a few minutes before Stiles inevitably got antsy.  He turned toward Derek again, this time with a teasing grin and he casually asked, “So…everyone else gave me an appreciation tongue bath today, am I going to have to fend you off?”

“No, not at all,” Stiles’ face fell slightly, “You won’t be able to.”

“Wha—?” was all he got out before Derek surged forward, pulling Stiles in close and stabilizing his head with one arm, and drew a line of fire across the boy’s eyebrow and down through his short hair to trace over his ear, ending with a short nip and tug on the lobe there before sitting back.

“See what I mean? That was some pretty awful fending off you did there, Stiles,” the smirk was back, but this time it was accompanied by the kind of outer eye crinkles that are pretty clear red flags for genuine amusement.

“Hmm?” Stiles was a bit dazed, he was trying to figure out why when Derek appreciation-licked him it felt hot like burning, when that wasn’t the case with the others, “Oh…haha. Yeah, well I never stood much of a chance did I?”

Derek grunts, face still sporting a small ghost of a smile, and the two of them sat there in another comfortable silence. Until, thirty seconds in, Stiles broke it, “So…”

“Hmm?” Derek was leaning against the wall, head tilted back and eyes closed.

“I did a report on the gray wolf in 5th grade.”

“That’s nice, Stiles.”

“So I know that when wolves are submissive they will lick at the dominant’s mouth along his or her lips, to show submission.”

“Really, now?”

“And I was just wondering if, you know, since  I am officially pack now…”

Derek opened his eyes then, turning to Stiles, “You’ve always been pack.”

“Well, I just wanted to know if that was expected of me…you know. Since I’m pack,” he fidgeted with his hoodie strings as he asked.

“We aren’t _actual_ wolves, Stiles. Licking foreheads is one thing, but what you’re talking about is way too close to a human kiss for most—especially turned werewolves, like the rest of the pack—to be comfortable with,” the “let’s embarrass Stiles” grin was conspicuously absent, but that didn’t stop Stiles from doing his impression of a sweaty tomato, no sir it did not.

He coughed, “Right, that makes sense,” and continued tugging on his hoodie strings.

Derek stayed in the same position, the side of his head resting against the wall as he looked at Stiles, and said softly, “You can, though. If you want to.”

Stiles’ head whipped back up, looking at Derek and he let out a soft, “Oh”. He stayed like that, just looking at Derek for a moment before he scooted closer, the stiff cushion fabric creaking with his movements. He brought his mouth slowly to Derek’s, eyes still locked with the alpha’s. Stiles paused before he made contact, tongue darting out to moisten his own lips, lightly grazing Derek’s, and the older man sucked in a breath. Hearing the soft inhalation, Stiles tilted his head further, opening his mouth and gently let his tongue whisper across Derek’s bottom lip. He pulled back, breathing heavier than normal and biting his lip, and darted his eyes back up to Derek’s then leaned in again, repeating the move on his upper lip. He stayed there for a moment, just breathing against Derek’s mouth while the alpha sat stock-still. He brushed his tongue in a circuit of Derek’s lips once more and pulled back, seeing the older man’s eyelids flutter open.

Derek breathed deeply and looked at Stiles, “You didn’t do that very well.”

“I—what?” Stiles looked at him with wide eyes, trying to figure out if he should be offended or not.

“It didn’t feel submissive at all,” Derek’s voice was rough, a rich growl underlying every word.

“Oh,” ‘Or not’ it is then, “What did it feel like?”

“A little like insubordination. Mostly like a kiss.”

Stiles cleared his throat, “Which—ah, which bothers you more?”

Derek leaned a bit closer, “Strangely, neither,” running his nose down the side of Stiles’, “but, as alpha, I really do need to assert my authority.”

Stiles’ breath hitched, “O—oh? How, ah, how are you going to do that?”

“I guess I’ll have to mark you,” he nuzzled into Stiles’ neck.

The boy squeaked, “Mark me?”

Derek opened his mouth against skin, “Uh huh.”

Stiles murmured and sighed as Derek found a spot on his neck that he liked; he licked and kissed it, sucking slightly and nibbling gently. Derek pulled away to look at his mark, he hummed, satisfaction in every note, and he trailed his lips back up to Stiles’. He spent a few moments there, kneading at the boy’s mouth with his own, licking inside and tasting the sour and sweet of candy, and the metallic tang of the blood just under the surface of the thin inner mouth skin. Stiles ran his fingers through the hair at the back of Derek’s neck, making small mewling sounds and panting slightly.

“Tell me that wasn’t some sort of werewolf ‘let’s just be friends’ ritual or something.”

“That was what we call a kiss, Stiles.”

He breathed a laugh, “Oh, good. We’re gonna have to keep doing that. I can tell that I need practice.”

Derek closed his eyes and chuckled, draping an arm around Stiles and pulling him to sit across his lap, “You can practice on me whenever you want,” he opened one eye to pin the boy with a look, “On _me_.”

Stiles caught the hint of possessiveness in those two words, and he sighed, snuggling into Derek, “Whenever I want?”

“Yes. On **_me_** ,” the slight growl was back.

“So…always, then?”

Derek’s growl changed cadence, becoming softer, and he wrapped his arms more firmly around the teenager in his lap, “You catch on quick.”

They stayed that way, the quiet actually lengthening between them this time, and they sat peacefully for a few minutes. Their moment of quiet was once again broken by Stiles, “Aww, hell. Look at me. I’m totally the mom, aren’t I?”

“You _do_ catch on quick.”

“Oh maaan! Don’t tell anybody!”

Derek laughed, “Even if they didn’t already know… _that_ ,” and he pressed a finger into the bruise on Stiles’ neck, earning a muffled groan, “would be a dead giveaway.”

“Why does everyone want me to be the mom!?” he wailed, “How can I stop this from becoming a thing?”

“You don’t.”

“I don’t?” he looks up at the older man.

“No.”

“Why???”

Derek smirks, “Because. Everyone has a role in the pack. You have already been assimilated. Resistance is futile.”

Stiles gasps and leers, “Oooohooohoooooo. You’re a _keeper_!”

 

The End

 

  
  


 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I would apologize for the shameless X-Men and Star Trek references, but I'm not even a little sorry. And I love you guys too much to lie to you.
> 
> I love hearing your thoughts, and I try to respond to every comment! Thanks!
> 
> Hit me up on [my Tumblr](http://aconitebite.tumblr.com) if you so desire (I'm not gonna lie...it's mostly slash with the occasional cute animal and gay porn .gif).


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